Today, we celebrate Eero Saarinen, a legendary architect who pushed boundaries with bold and creative designs.

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Saarinen (August 20, 1910 - September 1, 1961) was a Finnish-American architect known for his daring, sculptural designs and his ability to combine beauty with function.

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There is no evidence that he ever formally obtained an architectural license. He studied architecture at Yale and worked extensively as a practicing architect, first with his father, Eliel Saarinen, and later through his own firm.

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It was an era where licensing was sometimes overlooked for architects who operated as principals, especially when their firms held collective credentials.

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Regardless, his work continues to inspire, shaping skylines and winning over design fans everywhere.

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Think of the futuristic TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, Dulles Airport in Washington, DC, or the sleek elegance of the Tulip Chair.

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Saarinen believed architecture wasn't just about solving problems; it was about creating spaces that inspire and connect us.

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Speaking of connecting, I would be remiss if I didn't include the monument designed by Saarinen that connects the east to the west, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

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Above, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO, under construction in June 1965, before the truss used to support the legs of the arch is lifted into place, by Kevin William Kelly (Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license).

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Construction on the arch began in 1963, and for two years, cranes and "creeper derricks," which crawled up the legs, hoisted prefabricated stainless steel sections into place, and filled the double-walled skin with concrete and prestressed tension bars.

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The operation demanded extraordinary precision. Finishing off at 630 feet tall, had the builders erred by as much as an inch, it would have been disastrous.

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On October 28, 1965, a whole city held its breath as crane operators lowered the keystone section in place, and the arch stood fast, the tallest freestanding arch in the world.

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Less than half a millimeter (0.01 inches): That's the margin of error welders had to work with when inserting each of the 142 pre-assembled sections into place.

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If only the builders building the homes we've designed worked to such strict tolerances. Or what if they built to ANY tolerances? Right?

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Here's the thing. A guideline for just that purpose is at your disposal.

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The Residential Construction Performance Guidelines, published by the National Association of Home Builders, is a reference tool you can provide your clients to use with their builders and remodelers to manage customer expectations and deliver high-performance homes.

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Here's an example of how I've used the guide in the past.

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Let's say you've designed an addition and you want to ensure there's a pleasant transition in the flooring from the existing home into the new space. Here's how to write the spec.

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Trust me, I didn't write that. I'm not that smart. It's one of the more than 300 guidelines in 13 major construction categories that are written for us already.

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When designing a custom home for a client who has yet to select a contractor, I’ve occasionally included a general statement like: “This home’s construction shall adhere to the sixth edition of the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines (RCPG).”

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Yeah, that's being lazy. But, hey? At what point do we stop quoting the building code on our plans and provide a link to the entire book?

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(Oh, the QR code works, alright, just sayin'. The plans won a Grand ARDA. - Congratulations, Total Solutions Group!)

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Another reason for "plugging" the RCPG is that our AIBD President, Ted Hake, co-chaired the committee that updated this most recent edition.

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One more amazing thing AIBD has done for our industry. 💪🥇

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Go forth and design boldly,

Steve Mickley, Executive Director

Email: steve.mickley@AIBD.org​

Let's chat: AIBD.org/meetsteve​